I

f ever there was a day to test an enclosed

sportscruiser it’s the one we picked to do the

C390 in Flensburg on the German-Danish border.

There is a bitter north wind charging through the

moorings and menacing skies overhead, hanging

low over the colourful architecture of the town’s

harbour front. The C390 is well placed to shelter

us from the biting breeze as we pile into its bright

saloon for some respite.

It’s no wonder that hardtop sportscruisers with

doors that separate the saloon from the cockpit

have become so popular, and Bill Dixon’s latest

design for Sealine typifi es what is so good about this genre

of craft. With the closure of a couple of doors we are nestled in

a temperate saloon, protected from the elements but still very

much aware of them thanks to the sheer enormity of the glass

panels on either side. Not only that, the electric sunroof is made

of glass and accompanied by three panels of the stuff aft, which

fi res even more natural light down into the interior. The aft

doors have some party tricks too, the port section is a bi-fold

design that opens up the walkway between saloon and cockpit

and the starboard section has a hinged window which fl ips

up to turn the galley top into an outdoor bar.

CLEVERDECK

There’s more ingenuity in the cockpit where, as an option, the

dinette converts via an electric pivoting backrest and hi-lo table

into an extended sunpad, the fabric sunroof above it grants or

removes shade depending on the occupant’s tanning preferences.

Another option (get used to this, a lot of kit is optional) is the

wetbar on the bathing platform, which includes a grill, sink,

pop-up lights and some counter space. With all the option boxes

ticked this is a seriously versatile main deck, fl exible to weather

conditions, persons on board and activity.

The side decks are asymmetric with the bias being towards the

starboard one, a sunken walkway until just past the helm which

tallies with the helm door to make shorthanded crewing and

communication that bit easier. Intelligent design continues

on a foredeck which, on a 39ft 4in (11.9m) boat, manages to

include a double sunpad, three glass panels to illuminate the

master cabin below and a small bench with a footwell.

If the versatility theme hasn’t hit home yet then do let me

continue with what’s going on below deck. There are several

options: standard is a two-cabin, two-heads layout with a large

storage-cum-utility room down the starboard side. Other

options include a double bed on the starboard side to

supplement the standard twin to port, two doubles amidships

or a single double amidships with the bed running athwartships

to create what is almost another master cabin, though it’s

not ensuite nor full beam because the storage room down the

starboard side re-emerges. There’s no right or wrong layout here

and Sealine has been generous in allowing such fl exibility on a

model that will have to fl y out of the factory at quite a rate to

make the numbers stack up. The particular boat we had on test

had the twin to port with double to starboard option, which feels

a good balance, and delivers three good cabins supplemented

by two bathrooms, both of which have showers. Personally, I

don’t see why you wouldn’t have the third cabin because even

if it’s not going to be slept in on a regular basis it’s useful to

have it there and you can still use it to store luggage or clothes.

With all six berths fi lled it will be cramped with everyone

squeezed into the saloon but with a full set of canopies for the

cockpit this becomes an extension of the internal living space.

The TV, mounted above the galley to starboard, swings out on

BOAT TEST

There is a variety

of hull paint and

upholstery options

on the C390

Glossy oak woodwork and

plentiful natural light make

for a bright, inviting saloon